Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

3xpendable · Joined: 19 Dec 2010 Posts: 222 Location: USA

I want to fit a push button starter to my car when I rebuild it and my dad says older cars used to have an ignition key that you would twist as normal, and then to engage the starter push the key/barrell inwards like a push button.

Do these still exist and if so where can I get one?

Thanks
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Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22840 Location: UK

Some cars had pull (cable or lever) operated starter switches, have a look at this page to see the kind of thing - about half way down

http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/prod_switches.html

You'll also find push button starter switches on there too, and from other suppliers.

RJ
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exbmc · Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 8:27 pm Post subject: starter button

I drove two different Land Rovers today, a 1962 series 2 109" and a 2008 Freelander 2. With 49 years age difference, these two both had push button starters! Laughing

victor 101 · Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 446 Location: East Yorkshire

There are, and has been lots of cars with push button start, but I cant recall one where you depressed the key.

P3steve · Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2011 9:52 pm Post subject:

My Standard Ten has a pull starter and the Rover a push button, I have a passion for floor dip switches too (note, must get out more)
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peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7219 Location: Edinburgh

Before the era of steering locks we had the ignition locks where you switched on and then turned the key a bit further to engage the starter and before that the starter was activated either with a separate push button that activated the remote solenoid or a pull knob that was connected to the starter switch via a Bowden cable. There were also some oddities like the first Minis that had a rubber push button on the floor.

I do seem to remember some foreign cars (and possibly American) that had steering lock ignition where there were interlock arrangements to stop you activating the starter once the engine was already running. It's possible that some of these demanded some inward pressure before you were permitted to rotate the key to the starter position. It wasn't a British thing though.

Peter
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Phil - Nottingham · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 1252 Location: Nottingham

Actually two types of Lucas "gated" ignition/starter switches were fitted to Mk2 and Mk3 3 Litres (P5's) and the 3.5 Litre P5B pre the later so called thief proof armoured type.

The first required pushing in and then turning to operate the starter, the second needed you to turn it right back off after releasing from starting - this was to prevent operating the starter when the almost silent engine was actullay idling.

Unfortunately they have been NLA for years and only the standard switch is available - I had to replace mine several years ago as the inernal contacts had burnt/tracked leading to high resistance and overheating of the switch
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Keith D · Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 6:33 am Post subject:

Back in the days of Bond Minicars and three wheeler bubble cars, most had no reverse gear, allowing them to be driven on a motorcycle licence. If you wanted reverse, they usually fitted a special ignition system.

You turned the key one position to turn the ignition on and another (spring loaded) to turn the starter. If you wanted to reverse, you turned the key off, stopping the engine Then pushed the key in and turned it to put the ignition on again. Then turned the key further (still pushed in) and the engine started backwards! This gave you your reverse gear, all four of them! Very crude and it would obviously only work with a two stroke, but quite a few cars had them back in the early sixties.

I THINK (I'm certainly not sure after half a century!) they were called Ciba Dynastarts. This may be the type of ignition switch you are thinking of.

Keith

3xpendable · Joined: 19 Dec 2010 Posts: 222 Location: USA

Thanks for all your help people..
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2013 Dodge Durango R/T Hemi
1965 Ford Anglia 106e Estate (LHD)
1964 Ford Anglia 105E 1500 GT (Dad)
1980 Porsche 911 SC Targa (Uncle)
1971 MGB GT (V8 project) -SOLD 2016
2005 MINI Cooper S JCW - SOLD 2016

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Bitumen Boy · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2012 8:36 pm Post subject:

Mog · Joined: 30 Dec 2007 Posts: 663 Location: Sydney

That was always a problem, the production people always wanted to cut everything back to the bone.

mikeC · Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 9:15 am Post subject:

My 1958 Lancia Appia had an ignition key which was turned to switch the ignition on, and then pushed to operate the starter. I imagine it was a Magnetti Morelli unit, but cannot be sure. I understand these were also common on Alfa Romeos, and probably Fiats. Pre-war a similar unit was produced by Bosch, and was fitted to at least one Frazer Nash TT Replica, probably standard on them all...

62rebel · Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:43 pm Post subject:

perhaps you could fit a keyed push button as would be used on some industrial machinery? many machines have a keyed safety switch so that the operator can turn it off and remove the key so that he/she can work around it without some daft bugger starting it up again whilst they're in the danger area. i'd hazard a guess that most of these examples are larger than we'd like to fit into a dash, though...
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